Little Dhampir
by pinkpanda376
Summary: This is the story of what happens to Adrian and Sydney after The Fiery Heart. What if Sydney were pregnant? What if the child were saved while Sydney was re-educated? What if Adrian turned to a life of drunkness? What if Adrian, Sydney, and their baby all live separate, unknowing lives? Will they manage to find each other? How will this affect them?
1. Prologue--Sydney POV

**Hey, guys! So my friend Abby and I decided to become "business partners". She came up with the general idea for this story, and I'm writing it. I hope you enjoy it, and as always, read, review, and enjoy.**

I huddled in the corner of my cell, trying to find a comfortable position. Unlikely. I contented myself with counting the tiles on the floor. Yup… Nine hundred and four. Like always.

I knew my time was running out… The Alchemist in the medical clinic said I was due any day now… Now I just had to sit and worry about what would happen. My hand ran absently over my growing stomach, remembering my father's reaction when he'd learned that I'd been with Adrian, and his fury when he'd discovered that I was carrying a child.

Adrian's child.

As usual, a pang shot through me as I thought about Adrian. I knew I'd probably never see him again, and that he'd likely never know that I'd had his baby. But I contented myself with the knowledge that I'd saved my child. Our child.

I'd managed to convince my father to spare the baby. I'd said that I would go through with the re-education without putting up an ounce of fight, but only if the child was allowed to go live freely and safely. He'd argued, saying that the child would be raised to become an Alchemist, but I"d pointed out that the baby would be a dhampir. He'd relented pretty quickly after that.

I knew that they would erase my memory. I wouldn't remember my father, my mother, my sisters. I wouldn't remember Rose… Dimitri… Jill… Eddie…

I wouldn't remember Adrian…

I decided to allow myself to think of him, which I hadn't previously, because it had hurt, and I'd thought that I would get to be reunited with him. Now I knew that that wasn't going to happen.

I closed my eyes, remembering Adrian. Remembering the tender look his emerald green eyes, remembering his witty dry humor, remembering what it felt like when he kissed me…

After several hours, I felt a pain in my stomach. At first, I thought I was crying. But then I realized that this was an actual, physical pain, and it was centered around my large stomach.

"No," I whispered. Not so soon… I closed my eyes and a tear slid down my face.

Another contraction hit, and this time it made me cry out. I grabbed onto my stomach, and the door opened.

Two Alchemists dressed in khaki scrubs stood there, and I knew instantly that they'd been monitoring me and immediately deduced what was happening to me. They stood there for a moment, then came and hauled to my feet.

I had a fleeting hope of escape as they pulled me down the corridor, but a third contraction stopped that thought. No way could I get away.

They took me to a white room containing an operating table, several machines, and several trays of medical instruments.

They strapped me to the table and inserted an IV into my arm as more Alchemists came in to assist with the procedure. One injected a syringe full of something into the IV shunt, and immediately I became groggy and couldn't move my limbs, growing numb from the neck down.

I didn't know how long it took, but it was over before I could really process what was being done to me. I felt a tugging on my abdomen as they performed a C-section, carefully monitoring my vitals. A piercing cry filled the air, and my heart jumped into my throat.

"Get that thing cleaned up and sent to the collector," said the head surgeon, disgust very obvious in his voice.

I forced my tongue of lead to move. "Wait," I blubbered. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Quiet, Sage," said the surgeon firmly as the nurse cleaned up the baby.

"Please!" I begged. "Just this one thing! Please tell me!"

The nurse holding the baby paused and turned back to me. She lowered the baby so that I could see. "It's a girl," she said softly.

"Hastings!" snapped the surgeon. "Get out!"

She left the room, carrying the baby. I smiled weakly as my daughter was taken away to safety. She was safe.

I felt something cold trickling through my veins, and I knew that this was the end. I turned my thoughts to Adrian as I began to fade. His eyes filled my mind as I lost consciousness.


	2. Prologue, Part II--Adrian POV

**Hey guys! So I hope you guys liked the first chapter, I've gotten a couple reviews, but I'd like some more if you don't mind :P Anyway, just a reminder, this isn't about any of the original characters… The original characters are just there for the prologue, though they'll still be involved in the story. Come back for more, I have the next two chapters after this one written already. More reviews means I'll update faster ;)**

**As always, read, review, and enjoy!**

I sat on the couch, staring blankly at the wall, a bottle of tequila in my hand. I'd tried to keep myself from drinking for Sydney's sake. But every time I'd recited my resolve to myself… It shattered my broken heart even more. "Be strong for SYdney. Keep it together for Sydney. Sydney needs you." It only drove me closer to the edge of insanity every time I thought of her. Her smile, her laugh, the fierce look in her eyes each time I kissed her…

Thinking about her tore at my heart, and I began chugging the tequila. I ignored the burn, and waited for the effects of the alcohol to kick in. Dimly, I heard the phone ring for the first time in days. I expected to hear Jill's voice. Or Rose. Or Castile. Hell, even Belikov had called a couple months ago.

Jill had been super persistent. She'd called several times a day, every day, and finally I'd answered and yelled at her to leave me the hell alone before I hung up on her. The next call I received was from Castile, and I-or at least my answering machine-had gotten an earful about how I had no right to treat Jill that way when she'd only been trying to help. They'd all kept calling. At first. Then the calls had dwindled down, coming with less and less frequency. The only one who ever bothered to call (though even she rarely called anymore) was Rose.

But the voice that spoke after the beep wasn't Rose. It wasn't even Jill.

"Adrian Ivashkov, you'd better have a damn good reason for not answering when the queen calls you!" came Lissa's voice from the machine. "I just want you to know that we all miss you. We want to help you, but when you shut us out like this, we can't do it. Please, Adrian… come home." Click.

I continued to stare at the wall. I'd been wearing the same clothes for nearly a week. I stank of sweat and vomit and alcohol. I hadn't shaved in weeks. I didn't care.

I'd burned all but three of my paintings. One was titled "Love', the one that I'd done so long ago, with the slash down the middle. The second was called "Flame in the Dark". It was the design I'd done for Sydney's shirt, but with more passion put into it. The third one was named "Gone". I'd done it about two months after she'd been taken. It was just layer upon layer of black. An empty hole. An unending abyss.

It was how I felt.

Sydney was my world. I thought I'd been in love with Rose back when. Rose had nothing on Sydney. Nothing.

I loved Sydney more than anything. I would have done anything for her. Given her anything. And then, just like that, she was gone. Ripped from me. When she'd been torn from my side, it had torn out my heart as well. She was my one and only love. I needed her.

What went through my mind the most since she had disappeared was what she had said.

"The center will hold."

It didn't.


	3. Prologue, Part III--Abe POV

**Hey, guys! So I'm making it my mission to actually complete all the stories I've been slacking on, as well as doing the new stories. As always, read, review, and enjoy!**

Abe POV

I stood, arms folded, at the desk, awaiting information on the "special assignment" I'd been told I was being given.

Jared Sage-and all the evil that radiated off of every fiber of his body-rounded the corner, holding a cardboard box.

"Sage," I said coldly. "Make this quick, please."

He handed me the box, which had a bundle of blankets in it. A baby's cry came from the box, and I was so surprised that I nearly dropped it.

"What the hell is this?!" I demanded.

"Your assignment. It's female."

"What, do you want me to adopt a baby?" I said incredulously. "You don't want to train it to be another lemming Alchemist?"

"Dhampirs can't be Alchemists," he said flatly.

"Wait… This child is a dhampir?" I demanded.

"Yes. Get rid of it. I don't care how. Just make sure that it has no way of getting back here."

I quickly did the calculations in my head, and only knew of one Alchemist who would dare rebel against the system.

"Shouldn't you know better than to call your own grandchild 'it'?" I asked slyly, making a subtle point that I knew it was Sydney's child.

"That _thing_ is not my grandchild!" he spat, fire flashing in his eyes.

I smirked. "If you say so. What's being done with Mommy Dearest?"

"Sydney is being re-educated," he said stiffly. "I have been far too lax with her. It's high time she learns her place."

I scoffed. _Good luck with that_. "Fine. I'll deal with the baby."

"Good. Now get out."

Without another word, I headed out to where I had a car waiting for me.

I thought about what I'd do with this kid. _I_ couldn't keep her! I didn't know the first thing about children!

I thought about my own daughter, and how I'd been absent from her life until a year ago. I didn't particularly _like_ Sydney, but this kid needed parents. Two parents.

No Moroi would want to raise a dhampir child. So a dhampir would need to raise her. Or, better yet, two dhampirs.

And I knew two dhampirs who could do it. In love, but unable to have children.

I knew Dimitri longed for a child. I knew that Rose was upset that she couldn't give him one.

I knew what to do.

They'd discussed adoption, but it would be a delicate situation. A vampire-world child would be best.

This child… This child was undoubtedly Adrian Ivashkov's daughter. He was the only Moroi who Sydney could have been with. They'd never adopt this child if they knew, so I supposed it was time for the mysterious "Zmey" to emerge.

I picked up my cell phone and dialed.

"Rose," I said when she answered. "I need to talk to you."


	4. Chapter 1

**Helloooooooo, loyal readers! After a much needed hiatus (aka college is kicking my ass) I have gotten a less-intense semester of classes. Hopefully you will all like knowing that my classes are all for my major, so I'm that much closer to being an author for real! Hopefully after my little break, my writing is a little better than it was beforehand, so fingers crossed! As always read, review, and enjoy!**

I awoke in a cold sweat, as I had every night for the past week. I muttered a swear word and rolled onto my back. Always the same freaking dream! I couldn't stay in the hot confines of my blankets, so I got outo f my bed and went to my bathroom. I didn't have a roommate – none of the other dhampir girls wanted to room with me – so I didn't bother closing the door before I turned on the light.

I splashed some cold water on my face, studying myself in the mirror, squinting slightly at the harsh fluorescence after being asleep. My green eyes were dull, my straight golden-brown hair hanging limply around my pale cheeks.I didn't know who my biological parents were – my adoptive parents didn't know either – but they clearly hadn't done me any favors in regards to my appearance. I understood that my father, whoever he was, was pale, because he was undoubtedly Moroi – Moroi women didn't get involved with dhampir men, so it had to be him. But my mother… There had to be something wrong with her, because I'd never met one so pale. I would never really know, but I still obsessed over it every time I looked in the mirror.

A tap on my door drew my attention. I looked at my clock. It was two o'clock in the afternoon – who the hell was _up _right now?

I opened the door to my room and found my best friend, Nicolas Dragomir, standing there in blue plaid flannel pants and a gray sweatshirt.

"Nick? What are you doing here?"

"Your aura was wrong… I came to see if you were all right," he said, his jade-green eyes looking into mine.

"How could you tell whether my aura was right or wrong?" I demanded.

"I live across the hall from you, Claire," he reminded me. "I can sense you as if you were sitting in the same room. Now answer my question. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I mumbled, letting him in. "Why are you even up?"

"I was finishing that paper for Mr. Nagy's class," he replied. "Why are _you _up?" He flicked his head to toss his jet-black hair out of his eyes.

"Bad dreams," I said evasively. "Not a big deal."

My words did not fool him. He sat down sideways on my bed, his back against the wall and his long legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. "I'm not leaving until you tell me."

I sighed and went to sit beside him. "You know Valerie's gonna be mad that you came here."

"She doesn't need to know everything. And I'm not scared of Valerie," he said dismissively.

"I am," I muttered. His girlfriend, Valerie Zeklos, had inherited her father Jesse's fire magic, as well as her vain sense of self-image and manipulative personality. She had a strong dislike for all non-royal Moroi, and hate for all dhampirs. She harbored a special loathing for me.

To change the subject, I spoke again. "My dad won't be happy you were here either."

Nick's expression changed. "Yeah, him I'm afraid of," he said uneasily.

"Oh, don't be," I said. "He can't do anything to you."

"No, but he could tell your mom, and she'd tell my mom, and she'd do something."

I giggled. "Your mom could pass a law to get us in trouble."

"Yes, having the queen as a mother does have that downside."

"But hey, you'll be the king, so you can get us out of trouble."

He groaned. "Don't remind me. There are so many people fawning over me because they know I'll be king someday. I'm so tired of it."

"But…if your mother is a good enough ruler that the Moroi world chose to keep her bloodline in power, shouldn't that be good enough for you? You already have their full support."

"Yeah, until they learn that I'm dangerous and unstable. Sabrina's been helping me fake water magic, but eventually everyone will figure it out… And then it'll become a nightmare.

I didn't know what to say to him, so I remained silent.

"Speaking of nightmares, you still need to tell me about yours," he said.

"Nick!" I whined.

"Come on, Claire, I just want to help."

I sighed. "You're not going to leave until I tell you, are you?"

"Nope." He flicked his hair back and gave me his most charming grin, knowing it would work. He had inherited his mother's winning personality, and he knew it.

I pouted as I began to tell him. "It's a recurring nightmare. I'm a guardian, and my Moroi and I are being chased by a Strigoi. We get cornered and I tell the Moroi to run while I fight the Strigoi. But I freeze, and the Strigoi is able to get the Moroi, and changes them into another Strigoi."

"So you're worried about failing as a guardian?" he asked thoughtfully. "When did this start?"

"A few days ago."

"You're probably nervous for your field experience. That starts tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. So?"

"So, it's your most realistic training exercise that you'll ever have. The closest you can get to the real thing. You're probably stressing over it."

"You think so?"

He nodded. "Yeah. And I think that a big part of your stress is that your mom has been putting so much pressure on you. It's like how I feel with my mom… She's got a big name to live up to, same as your dad, and I think you're worried that you won't. But at the same time, I think that them being your parents has more impact than you know. You have a double advantage. It's part of you. Having Rose Hathaway and Dimitri Belikov as parents? Most people would kill to have them as parents, that's basically inherited badassness."

"I'm adopted, you idiot!"

"I know that, I'm not a moron. It's not all about genetics! Look at your dad. His father is some snobby Ivashkov royal. His mother is a housewife in Russia, and he never sees either of them. Your mother never sees either of her parents. And they're still the two most badass guardians there have ever been. My point is, you can't determine what kind of guardian you'll be yet."

"That doesn't help me feel any better," I muttered.

"Yes it does. Your aura is better. Now go back to sleep, your field experience starts tomorrow."

"Fine," I grumbled. "Get out of my room."

"Bossy," he teased, but he stood and headed toward my door. He paused in the doorway. "Cheer up. And hey, if you have that dream again, could you give me some badass fire magic?"

He ducked out, laughing, as I threw a ball of socks at him. They hit the back of my door and fell to the floor. I turned off my light and got back into bed. My blanket smelled like him, so I hoped it would bring me friendly comfort, but all it did was feed my sleepless anxiety as I fretted about the coming weeks.


	5. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I hope you're enjoying the direction I've taken the story. I promise that we'll be seeing some familiar characters soon! I'm doing my best to update more. If any of you have any other favorite stories that you'd prefer to be updated sooner than other ones, I'm all ears. For now, read, review, and enjoy!**

I tried hard to stay awake as I sat in the bleachers of the gym. I was exhausted. I hadn't gotten any sleep after Nick left my room.

"Hey, Claire," said my friend Eve Castile, sitting down beside me. "You okay? You look tired."

"Didn't sleep well," I muttered. "Today's gonna be hell."

"Greetings, humble mortals," said her twin brother Emmett, sitting down with us.

Eve elbowed him. "You're a moron."

"Perhaps, but methinks a fair Moroi maiden shall find my words pleasing to the ear."

"Shoot me," muttered Eve.

I laughed. "I think that the queen would be mad if I shot one of her sister's kids. That wouldn't bode well for me."

"All right, novices, listen up!" shouted my mom from the stage. I closed my eyes. _God, kill me now._ She and my father were usually at Court with Queen Lissa, as she was her guardian and closest friend. The queen had asked my parents to come for the guardian training, as there had been a Strigoi attack during the only one she'd been present for, and she wanted her children looked after by the best guardians. "The other guardians and I have worked hard to pair each of you with a Moroi who will best fit you for this exercise. You will be with your Moroi twenty-four seven for the next six weeks. We will be giving you files that contain all of your information about the training exercise and about the Moroi you will be responsible for protecting. Be prepared, and good luck!"

The guardians began calling the names of dhampir novices, followed by the name of the Moroi they were being paired with.

"Emmett Castile."

Emmett perked up as his name was called.

"You will be guarding Miss Sabrina Dragomir."

The look of horror on his face was almost comical. Eve and I howled with laughter.

"So much for that hot Moroi maiden!" I snickered. He turned and flipped me off before heading down to get his folder. Truth be told, Sabrina _was _beautiful, and every one of the other male dhampir novices was interested in her. But she was Emmett and Eve's cousin.

"Oh, I wish I could have gotten that on video!" Eve chortled as my mom continued calling out names.

Emmett looked royally pissed off – ironic, since his mother was the queen's sister – and stomped out of the gym with Sabrina giggling beside him.

"Eve Castile!"

Eve stopped giggling at once, looking nervous.

"You will be guarding Miss Valerie Zeklos."

"God dammit," Eve muttered looking as pissed as her brother. Valerie was Nick's girlfriend, and was EASILY the biggest bitch in the school. Especially to dhampirs, and _especially _to me.

"Go on, get your folder," I teased, giving her a nudge.

She glared at me. "I hope you get Jacob Sarcozy," she muttered.

"She can't," grumbled our friend Thaine, who was walking past. "I'm stuck with him."

Eve went to get her folder and followed Valerie out. I gave her a sympathetic look to make up for my teasing – I really did feel sorry for Eve.

"Claire Belikova!"

I felt the blood drain from my face.

"You will be guarding Mr. Nicolas Ozera."

No. Way.

I stood, my eyes wide. I was going to be guarding my best friend for six weeks?

I didn't need the folder my mom handed me, but I took it anyway. I knew everything about him – we'd grown up together.

Nick came over to me. "Hey, guardian," he teased.

"This is serious, Nick," I said as we began heading back to our dorm building.

"Oh, come on, it's a school exercise. You'll kick ass and be done with it."

"Nick, stop it! When my mom was a student here, she had to actually defend her Moroi from a real Strigoi attack! Haven't you heard about that?"

"She did?" he asked, surprised. "Wow… And no, I haven't."

"Really? I'm surprised. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because the Moroi that she had to protect? The Moroi she risked her life to go save? It was your father. He went to fight them off, and she had to protect him."

"Your mom got paired with my dad for this?"

"Yes. You've never heard this story, have you?"

"No, I haven't."

"The Strigoi who came to attack the school were here to try to kill your mother and wipe out the Dragomir line. Your Uncle Eddie? He nearly died protecting your mom. The Strigoi dragged him off to some caves. My mom and dad and a bunch of other guardians and novices went to rescue him, and the others who were taken. That's how my dad got turned into a Strigoi. They took him."

"I didn't know…"

"I know. But I'm explaining. I take this seriously, Nick. If we work well as a team together and I prove that I can protect you, they might make me your guardian since you and I are so close. That's what happened with your mom and my mom. I'm taking this seriously."

"All right. I will too," he said.

We headed into our building and I went to go pack.

I went across the hall to Nick's room when I was done. I opened the door to find not only Nick, but Eve and Valerie as well.

Crap.

"What is she doing here?" Valerie screeched.

"I was assigned to her. She's my guardian," Nick explained.

"No. No, she's going to guard you. No way in hell. I am going to go to Belikov or Hathaway and demand that you get a different novice."

"Val, will you relax?" Nick's voice was weary and exasperated. "She's assigned to protect me. That's all. It's no different than if she were with you and Eve were with me."

"I wouldn't want to fire magic Eve into ash. Your moms are sisters, she can't try anything with you!"

My temper flared. "Are you _fucking _kidding me?" I demanded. "I'm not here to 'try anything', Valerie. I'm here to be a guardian! I'm here _training for my future_!"

"Yeah, you're gonna try to plactice your future as a blood whore!" My jaw dropped, as did Eve's.

"Valerie! Enough!" shouted Nick. "I have homework to do, so I'd like some privacy. I'll talk to you later!"

"Fine," she seethed. "Let's go!" she barked at Eve.

Glaring at the back of Valerie's head, Eve followed her out.

"Sorry about that," Nick muttered.

"Why are you with her?" I demanded.

"Honestly, I don't know anymore," he said, sounding exhausted.

"Then why not break it off?" I inquired.

"Because there's a good part of the year left that I'd have to deal with her trying to set me on fire."

"Hey, you're a water user, remember?" I teased.

"Ha ha, very funny," he said. He went back to what he had been doing before I walked in, making up a bed on his sofa.

"Wait," I said. "Put the couch under the window."

"Why? It's heavy!"

I rolled my eyes. "Move over, you weenie." I began pushing his sofa to a new position from under the window. "It's logical. A Strigoi likely wouldn't be able to get inside due to the extraordinary number of guardians inside and outside. But if it did, a window would be easier access than trying to sneak through all the levels of building. And if it came through the window, I'd hear it and wake to protect you."

He smiled. "I'm impressed. I wouldn't have thought of it."

"Because _you_, O Royal Pain in the Butt, have not had guardian training."

"Harsh," he teased. "I could have your head for that."

"No, you couldn't. You're not a king yet, just a bratty high school student," I teased back.

"Speaking of brats, Valerie wants me to hang out at her room later.

I made a face. "Great. So Eve and I have to sit through a morning with Valerie?"

"Well… I don't know that her activity of choice should have an audience," he said uncomfortably.

"What do you – oh, ew!" I said, getting it. "So we're going to have to sit outside your room like pimps?"

"Well…hopefully not," he said. "I'm trying to keep it from happening. I don't want to. At least until…" he trailed off.

"Until…?" I prompted.

He looked at me. "Until I find the girl who will eventually become my queen."

I smiled. "That's sweet."

He shrugged. "I'm not trying to be sweet. I'm just being honest."

"Still. I think it's sweet."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna do my homework now."

I took my practice stake and began studying my field experience instructions.

After a couple hours, he stood with a sigh. "All right, let's go."

I groaned. "Do we have to?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

I grumbled, but followed led the way to Valerie's room and I waited outside. After a moment, I heard her voice screeching at Eve to get out.

Eve emerged, looking more annoyed than I'd ever seen her. "Oh my God, I'm going to strangle her with her own hair."

I chuckled once. "Sucks to be you."

Emmett and Sabrina rounded the corner. "What are you guys doing out here?" Sabrina asked, looking confused.

"Nick and Satan's Mistress are in there canoodling."

She wrinkled her nose, her blue eyes looking at the door. "Gross."

"Switch with me," Eve demanded of Emmett.

"Hell no, I don't want her."

"Come on, I thought you wanted a hot Moroi girl you weren't related to."

"Yes. But I don't want her to be hot because she just crawled up from hell."

I opened my mouth but was halted by a screech from inside. "YOU WHAT?!"

Sabrina's eyes widened. "See ya." Her white-blonde hair fluttered behind her as she and Emmett departed at high speed.

The door flew open after a few more minutes of screeching and the sound of several things breaking.

The door flew open and Nick sprinted out. "Let's go, let's go, let's go," he muttered, grabbing my wrist and towing me down the hall.

"What happened?!" I demanded.

"No time! Run!" he shouted.

We ran down the hall until he stopped, pounding on Sabrina's door. "SABRINA, HELP!"

The door flew open. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Sabrina cried, looking alarmed.

"Let me in, let me in!" he said hastily. He dragged me inside and slammed the door.

"What the hell, Nick?" she demanded.

He sat down in a chair, panting. "Needed a water user," he gasped out. "Just in case… Valerie… pissed… fire…"

"What did you do to her?" Emmett asked.

"Broke up with her."

"What?" the three of us exclaimed together.

"Are you nuts?" Sabrina demanded.

"I couldn't handle her anymore!" Nick said defensively.

"She's gonna turn Eve into ash!" Emmett said.

Nick's phone chimed at that moment. He pulled it out, read the text, and winced.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Eve."

"What'd she say?" asked Sabrina.

He let us read the message.

_**YOU SUCK!**_

"Way to go, moron," said Sabrina, smacking Nick in the head.

"What?! You guys all kept saying to break up with her!"

"Yeah, but not when Eve's stuck with her for six weeks and can't escape! How is it that you were born eight minutes before me, but you act like you're eight years younger?"

"She'll turn me into ash eventually, it won't matter."

Sabrina's eyes widened. "Claire, don't let him die. I don't want to be queen."

I chuckled. "I'll do my best."

"We should probably head out, it's getting late," said Nick.

"Okay. Goodnight," I said to Emmett and Sabrina. Sabrina hugged me and Emmett fist bumped me before I followed Nick out.

"Well, today has been sufficiently crazy," Nick said. "Oh… I got some snacks for you in case you get hungry. They're in the cupboard by the sofa."

"Thanks." I took a granola bar and ate it before getting in bed.

He ulled his blackout shade down, creating a barrier against the rising sun. "Try to get some sleep… You look exhausted."

I nodded. "I'll try." I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.


End file.
